Good research questions

Good research questions How to focus on an area of study in the Extended Essay

Brainstorming • After choosing your subject, brainstorm ideas for a topic • Use your curriculum guides or notes or textbook to identify areas of interest • Choose an area

KWL • Use a graphic organizer to write down what you already know about the topic • From this identify what you need to know • Collect keywords • Identify the type of evidence you need • E.g. history…primary sources; book reviews; OPVL • Science…scientific journal articles; data • English…secondary sources that have been written by credible authors

Criteria for a good question • It meets the requirements for the subject under the EE guide (will tell you how the RQ should be phrased…question, hypothesis, thesis) http://www.mioc.hr/site/upload/datoteke/20120504120519_IB%20DIP%20Extended%20essay%20guide.pdf

From the EE guide • A: research question • This criterion assesses the extent to which the purpose of the essay is specified. In many subjects, the aim of the essay will normally be expressed as a question and, therefore, this criterion is called the “research question”. • However, certain disciplines may permit or encourage different ways of formulating the research task.

English • Criterion A: research question • For all three categories of group 1 essays, although the research question can best be expressed in the form of a question, it may also be presented as a statement or proposition for discussion. The research question must: • • be specific and sharply focused • • be stated clearly in the introduction of the essay or on the title page • • be related to the target literature/language. The research question must not: • • be too narrow or too obvious.

BIOLOGY • Criterion A: research question • In a biology extended essay, the research question is best stated in the form of a question. The research question should not be understood as a statement of the topic but rather as a precisely formulated question that the research will attempt to answer. For example, a statement of the topic of an essay might be “Factors that affect bacterial growth in agar plate cultures”; the research question based on this topic could be “How are the growth rates of three strains of E. coli affected by temperature?”. • The research question can then be used to formulate a hypothesis, or hypotheses, which can be tested. The research question should be identified clearly and set out prominently in the introduction. A broad statement of the topic of the essay or a statement of the hypothesis is not sufficient on its own to meet the requirement for a research question in a biology extended essay.

history • Criterion A: research question • The research question must be appropriate to the particular subject in which the essay is submitted. In history, this means that it must focus on the human past and not be of a trivial nature. • The research question must be clearly and exactly focused, and stated in both the abstract and the introduction of the essay.

Research question Criteria • Can it be asked and answered (Is there an answer? Can info be found to answer?) • Can sources be found in English? (Shouldn’t be translated) • Will you find experts whose words and work will support this? It can’t be about how you feel or think…it is about what you can prove!)

Criteria for a good question • Is it worthwhile to answer? Does it add to the discussion in the field? • Is the topic focused? Can it be answered in only 4000 words? • Is the topic broad enough to discuss in up to 4000 words? Not trivial or already answered. • Can the topic be objectively treated? Not just conjecture or in “pseudo” areas • Does the question fit squarely in the area of study • Does the topic avoid hypothetical discussion? (No what if ….didn’t happen?)

Criteria for questions • Are all terms in the question clearly defined and understood by all in the field

Examples of questions • Would Germany have gone to war without Hitler? • How does age of Nepenthes pitchers affect their ability to digest proteins? • How does blood glucose level change during fasting? • Heathcliff as a character in Wuthering Heights? • Does the closing of Guantanamo Bay prison camp affect terrorism?

What about your question? • Does it meet the criteria?

Good research questions